Thread: The Daily Plate

I was reading a thread here a couple of months ago about weight loss and someone, can't remember who, recommended a web site called the dailyplate.com. Well, I bookmarked the site and thought maybe someday I'll work up the committment to trying it.

Well, someday finally came after I saw photos of myself in a dance costume taken just this past weekend. "Gasp, who's that sausage stuffed into that costume?!"

I've been doing 30 minutes on my elliptical trainer 5 days a week, weight lifting 3 days a week plus dancing and I wasn't losing a single pound. I wasn't gaining any thankfully, but not losing either. I finally had to admit that lack of exercise wasn't the problem. I needed to alter what/how much I was eating. I groaned at the idea of going back to Weight Watchers. Can't stand the meetings. I tried doing the online version with little success. I just couldn't stick with it.

I just signed up for an account at the daily plate and so far, it's going well. First of all, it's free! I like how it tracks my daily calorie intake and offers me suggestions on how I can lower it. I also learned just in one day that I'm not getting enough protien and too many carbs. That's probably why I'm hungry all the time. Anyway, this probably sounds like a commercial for the daily plate, but I like it so far. I'm hoping to lose 10 - 15 pounds. It doesn't sound like much, but I'm so short, it makes a huge difference on me.

If you're getting lots of exercise and still not losing like I was, I'd recommend the site. I really wish I could remember which Bhuzer turned me onto it, 'cause I'd like to thank her. Here's to looking and feeling better soon.

I think it may have been Sumaya, she's a big Daily Plate proponent.

I lost 25 pounds last year using Fitday, which is really similar. I've gain a few back, though, and have more to lose.. I may give the Daily Plate a try, I think they have a bigger database of foods and might be easier to use.

I started on it yesterday. I can now obsess about food in a whole new way! For me the major difference is going to be the change in my thought process. It will go from...oh, please - what possible difference could this small piece of chocolate make in the grand scheme of things to - Oh no, that calorie amount will be needed at the end of the day when I am HUNGRY!! 1687 calories a day for me to loose a pound a week! Gasp. Thats just 3 glasses of wine a day isnt it? Ah well...with the price of gas, I had to cut back somewhere, and food is getting expensive!

Originally Posted by anala

I started on it yesterday. I can now obsess about food in a whole new way! For me the major difference is going to be the change in my thought process. It will go from...oh, please - what possible difference could this small piece of chocolate make in the grand scheme of things to - Oh no, that calorie amount will be needed at the end of the day when I am HUNGRY!! 1687 calories a day for me to loose a pound a week! Gasp. Thats just 3 glasses of wine a day isnt it? Ah well...with the price of gas, I had to cut back somewhere, and food is getting expensive!

I only get 1356 calories a day to lose a pound a week. The good news is that I added a little over 500 calories to that yesterday by doing 30 minutes on my elliptical trainer and 45 minutes of belly dance while teaching my beginner class. It makes doing the exercise less painful when you know that means you can eat more. ..g.: The sucky part is that the calorie intake amount keeps dropping as your weight keeps dropping.

It makes me think about what I can eat that will fill me up without being a tons of calories. More protien, less carbs.

Here's a tip I learned along the way -- the key to making these programs work is to calculate the calories BEFORE you eat. Recording them afterward always makes me want to bang my head on the wall like Dobby from Harry Potter.

Double (triple) true if you're going to eat out.

Best way to stay full with fewer calories, in my opinion, is SOUP. And of course, lean protein (chicken/turkey breast).

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Here's a tip I learned along the way -- the key to making these programs work is to calculate the calories BEFORE you eat. Recording them afterward always makes me want to bang my head on the wall like Dobby from Harry Potter.

Double (triple) true if you're going to eat out.

Best way to stay full with fewer calories, in my opinion, is SOUP. And of course, lean protein (chicken/turkey breast).

I completely agree, Lauren, about figuring it out ahead of time. It really helps you plan out your food intake for the day so you can make better decisions. I like how the daily plate offers suggestions for lower calorie alternatives to alot of foods that I normally eat.

any other tips on protein intake if you not crazy about meat? i also have a hard time to find lowfat with no sugar products. i don't do well with sugar substituts and hate the taste.
the daily plate really helps, i lost 7 pounds so far.

Originally Posted by Georgine

any other tips on protein intake if you not crazy about meat? i also have a hard time to find lowfat with no sugar products. i don't do well with sugar substituts and hate the taste.
the daily plate really helps, i lost 7 pounds so far.

I don't like it myself, but what about tofu? or tofu products? I was thinking about making up a batch of hard boiled eggs to bring to work to include in my breakfast. It's about 80 calories and 6 grams of protien.

Congrats on the seven pounds Georgine.

thank you, i like tofu, (fried in olive oil on salad), oh boy. i will try the other tofu products available. boild eggs are good, i did that too.
they only thing that is hard in calorie counting is fruit. i could eat fruit all day long, but some of them are high in calories....ain't easy.

Originally Posted by Georgine

thank you, i like tofu, (fried in olive oil on salad), oh boy. i will try the other tofu products available. boild eggs are good, i did that too.
they only thing that is hard in calorie counting is fruit. i could eat fruit all day long, but some of them are high in calories....ain't easy.

I know just what you mean. I love fruit too. This method has been a bit of an adjustment from Weight Watchers. I never counted any fruits or veggies on that plan, but I am counting everything on this one. Even the piece of sugarfree gum that I chewed (5 calories). But, I think it gives me a better overall view of what I am (or am not) eating.

If it was Sumaya that recommended the site, I remember her saying something about counting every single thing you put in your mouth and eat out of a measuring cup if necessary...l;,

Originally Posted by Georgine

any other tips on protein intake if you not crazy about meat?

When I was a vegetarian, I used to keep lots of canned beans on hand and I threw handfuls of them in with whatever I was making -- on salads, in casseroles & with cooked veggies, etc. My favorites are black beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

Lentil soup is another great option. And a sort of thick lentil soup makes a wonderful sauce, especially over sweet potatos!

I've been using The Daily Plate for about two months now--what I find the most valuable is that it makes me assess what I eat before I eat it. Like Anala said, I want to have calories left at the end of the day for dinner (and maybe a glass of wine :)

I'm pretty much a vegetarian and I was pleased to see that my Middle Eastern/Mediterranean diet is supplying me with plenty of protein, generally derived from chickpeas (often in the form of hummus) and soy products. So that's another benefit of The Daily Plate, keeping tabs on the components of your diet. I found that I was ingesting more sodium than I thought I was, so now I think twice before eating commercially prepared foods.

I also find I beat myself up less about the occasional piece of chocolate if I know I'm staying within my calorie goals for the day. All in all, I think it's made my eating habits much more rational.

I just went 13 grams over my protien allotment. All I had was one chicken breast and 2 eggs for cryin out loud!. The rest of it came from the whole grain cereal! I can actually eat more fat than I thought possible while losing weight. It seems a i/3 ratio for fat, protien and carbs is optimal...any thoughts on this? Too many carbs and I stay hungry, too much protien and my kidneys and joints self destruct, too much fat and I - what? Oh, yes, I solidify from the inside out...thats right I 4got!

Originally Posted by Georgine

any other tips on protein intake if you not crazy about meat? i also have a hard time to find lowfat with no sugar products. i don't do well with sugar substituts and hate the taste.
the daily plate really helps, i lost 7 pounds so far.

Muscle milk, baby!!!!

Originally Posted by anala

It seems a i/3 ratio for fat, protien and carbs is optimal...any thoughts on this? Too many carbs and I stay hungry, too much protien and my kidneys and joints self destruct, too much fat and I - what? Oh, yes, I solidify from the inside out...thats right I 4got!

That is about what makes me feel good and maintain healthy weight. 30/30/40 actually (40% carbs, as low glycemic as possible).

That old, worn-out addage about the optimal diet being 10% protein, 30% fat, and 60% carbs is complete BS in terms of it being a blanket rule for everyone, especially the average middle aged female.

see - I thought I could eat all the carbs I wanted as long as they were made from twigs and fur...crap like that.....

I just signed up for this! What a great website!

Originally Posted by ssipes

Muscle milk, baby!!!!

funny, didn't even thought something like that existed. i have never seen it before.

any fruit with lots of protein?...just kidding

yes! this is exactly what I need....and (sigh) all I've eaten is carbs and sodium today

Originally Posted by Georgine

funny, didn't even thought something like that existed. i have never seen it before.

Well, there are many protein powders and shakes on the market. However, they tend to either be loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners or taste like crap. An 11 oz. ready to drink serving of muscle milk has a whopping 23 grams of protein, 9 or so grams of fat, and only 11 grams of carb (5g of this is fructose, 2 g is fiber). The fat content may seem high, but it is mostly a special blend of fatty acids that the producers claim are "lean lipids" because they help you burn fat and are less likely to be stored as fat. There is also a lower fat version called muscle milk light.

If you order the powdered form from vitacost.com or someplace like that, you can get it in a jillion flavors. I like sticking with the vanilla. I add various fruit to it when I make it from powdered form, and some metamucil to it to up the fiber content a little.

Muscle milk is used by athletes to build muscle and get leaner. I have been using it for over a year now to keep my reactive hypoglycemia symptoms at bay, up my protein levels, and it has helped me lose and keep off 30 lbs. It is not "low calorie". I usually have it for breakfast, and then maybe have it one other time during the day to keep my blood sugar from dropping. Sugar crashes lead me very quickly to uncontrollable carb binges, and this product helps me not get in that situation.

I keep a keg of the powdered version at home, and the ready to drink version at work. If I get busy and have to skip a meal I drink one of these and it helps it from being a disaster.

I just got on for the first time and I am suppose to be eating 1800 a day or so to lose 2 pounds a week. WHAT? I just entered what I have eaten today and I now have to get about 1400 in by the end of this evening! Crap.

Hiya!

I tried and liked Weight Watchers and South beach...but I still wasn't happy with the long term/daily maintenance. What I learned best came from a nutritionist...

Eat 6-8 small healthy mini meals...

Fast snacks can kill your daily count.....Pre bag/make your snacks...make it convenient to eat good food fast.

Shop smart...buy only guilt free foods... try this list: BEST SUPERMARKET FOODS | Women's Health Magazine

Skip the condiments...(except plain/dijon mustards) They are loaded with bad calories

Don't eat unopposed sugars...No complex carbs unless you have lean protein to outweigh/balance.

Eating well actually makes me feel better....It's weird I don't crave the sugar and bad fats so much anymore...and I feel full because I eat more often

*cheers*

Any thoughts on what to do about a dairy obsession?! I mentioned on another thread I'd dropped two dress sizes somehow without losing weight (they said it was probably muscle) but I'd like to trim down and I think that my love of cheese is destroying me.

Wow, it appears that my office job is making me burn tons of calories! Who knew filing was good for that?

I just got on for the first time and I am suppose to be eating 1800 a day or so to lose 2 pounds a week. WHAT? I just entered what I have eaten today and I now have to get about 1400 in by the end of this evening! Crap.

3 simple letters for you...WTF? Are you a 12 year old coal miner that weighs 400 pounds and stands 7 ft 8 inches?? I am gonna cry!

Originally Posted by Linnyg

I just got on for the first time and I am suppose to be eating 1800 a day or so to lose 2 pounds a week. WHAT? I just entered what I have eaten today and I now have to get about 1400 in by the end of this evening! Crap.

Are you saying that you've only eaten 400 cals so far and you need 1400 more?

uh oh, this could lead to calorie OCD

could?????

I'm so glad I started this thread and found some daily plate buddies! Ssipes, I'm going to look for that muscle milk. Sounds like a great idea for breakfast.

Linnyg, honey, eat something. I don't know what your situation is, but sometimes you won't lose weight if you eat too little. Something about the body trying to protect itself from losing weight 'cause it perceives you're starving it. Maybe the plate will help you spread out some of those calories over the day. Most of us have the opposite problem. We're looking at our available calories left for the day and wonder what we're going to drink with our celery for dinner.

Thanks ladies for all the inspiration.

thanks for the muscle milk explanation :-) i will look into it.
the daily plate really helps to contol what you eat, sometimes it is hard, especially on those days where you could eat the whole fridge.
but it works.
Shahla let us know how you are doing with it.